The purpose of this study was to identify the commonalities of various nursing interventions and effective intervention methods in each intervention through analysis and synthesis of many accumulated research papers. The study analyzed the effects of various nursing interventions on anxiety and/or stress. For this purpose, 64 experimental studies with randomized or nonequivalent control group pre-test-posttest design were selected were selected from journals of medical and nursing schools, the Korean Nurse, the Korean Nurses' Academic Society Journal, the Central Journal of Medicine, the New Medical Journal, the Nurse Monthly, and from theses and dissertations conducted from 1970 to 1991. The selected studies were classified according to three characteristics : 1) the research sample, 2) types and methods of nursing interventions, and 3) statistical tests. The following analysis was done : 1) Confirmation of the accuracy of data drawn from each study by paired review, 2) Estimation of the homogenity of pre-test scores of the dependent variable between control and experimental groups warranted the effect size of post-scores, 3) If the homogenity of pre-test scores did not warrant, the change scores from pre-test to post-test were used to estimate the effect size, 4) Use of the effect size of each study among homogenious studies was tested for each intervention method, such as relaxation, information, and touch and/or support. Finally, for the studies not showing homogenity, and ANOVA test was used to identify patterns for each intervention. Some findings are summarized as follow: The effect sizes for relaxation and information were greater than those for touch and / or supportive technique. Studies using random assignment had greater effect sizes than nonrandomized sample studies using the same intervention. For healthy people, group education was more effective than individual teaching. However, for patients, relaxation and touch and / or supportive techniques given on individual basis were more effective than when given in a group situation. Measuring anxiety and stress by biological indicators was less effective than by self-report. Budzynski's relaxation method was the most effective. The more frequently the techniques applied, the larger the effect size. On the bases of these findings, the following recommendations were made : 1. A combination of information, relaxation, and touch-supportive techniques should be sued for greater effect in reducing the level of anxiety and / or stress. 2. Information is the first choice of intervention to reduce the level of anxiety and/or stress of health people ; other intervention may be added depending on the conditions of the subjects.

The purposes of this study were 1) to identify patterns and trends of studies of anxiety and stress and 2) to provide direction on which to base further research. Research studies of anxiety and stress were selected from journals of medical and nursing schools, the Korean Nurse, the Korean Nurses' Academic Society Journal, the Central Journal of Medicine, the New Medical Journal, Monthly Nurse, and from theses and dissertations, which had been conducted for the 20 years from 1970 to 1990. The total population of the studies numbered 463. Seven studies were excluded from the analysis because of duplication, so that 252 studies of anxiety and 204 of stress were analyzed. These studies were analyzed for 1) time of publication or presentation, 2) research design, 3) characteristics of subjects used in each study, 4) types of correlated variables, and 5) types of nursing interventions. Findings obtained in the study were as follows : 1. The number of studies related to anxiety and stress has increased rapidly since the early 1980's. 2. The studies were primarily descriptive throughout the 20 years. However, correlational studies, comparative studies and experimental studies slowly increased. 3. Anxiety studies tend to be conducted more on patients and stress studies with normal subjects in non-experimental research. However, experimental studies were conducted more with patients than with normal subjects. 4. In correlational studies, the trend was to study physical conditions in relation to anxiety, and coping and adaptation in relation to stress. 5. In experimental studies, teaching and information therapy and relaxation were the most popular interventions for anxiety, and supportive care for stress. On the bases of these findings, the following recommendations were made : 1. These patterns of studies related to anxiety and stress in Korea need to be compared with studies conducted in other countries. 2. More attention is needed in terms of research design, reliability and validity of tools, and results of statistical analysis. 3. Meta-analysis should be done to analyze and integrate the results of various studies. 4. For theory testing and identification of useful intervention methods, experimental studies with the same protocols must be conducted rather than more descriptive studies.